What Sort of Equipment Does Crematoriums Use?

For a body to be cremated properly, it must be cremated at a temperature between 1400 and 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. Cremating remains at this temperature allows the body to reduce to its basic elements and bone fragments.

This is done by using specialized cremated remains processing equipment. In this step, the equipment used is called a cremation chamber, or a tort. In the next step, the remains are then processed in what is called a cremulator, turning the remains into a powder-like substance.

Cremation Chamber

The first step of cremation is placing a body in a cremation chamber. A cremation chamber is an industrialized furnace that is large enough to hold a body. This type of furnace is able to withstand heat up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, some even 3000 degrees Fahrenheit, due to its fire-resistant bricks that line the chamber inside.

The cremation chamber is designed to convert human remains into ashes and mineral fragments through oxidation and combustion.

Magnets

Some people may wonder, “What happens to jewelry during cremation? Gold teeth? Metal implants? Pacemakers?” The temperature of the furnace may not be enough to melt these items completely. What happens to them depends on the particular items.

The melting point for gold is 1,947 degrees Fahrenheit. For titanium, it’s 3,034. The melting point of steel is around 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, while the melting point for amalgam (mercury, copper, tin, silver) varies.

In the case of a pacemaker, they are removed before cremation to avoid damage to the cremation chamber. However, remaining pieces of other metal objects, such as metal rods, screws, or jewelry, are removed after cremation by the use of a very strong magnet.

Removing these metals from the cremation remains before processing is extremely important for the safety of the operator and equipment integrity.

Cremulator

After the surviving metals have been removed by a magnet, the rest of the remains are processed in what is called a cremulator. The cremulator, using blades and ball bearings, reduces the remaining ash and mineral fragments into a powder-like substance, finalizing the cremation process.